Garmin data for the ride: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/101474799

Now that the MultiSport Canada Tri It Triathlon at Lake Chestermere is over - my first olympic distance tri, no less - I thought that it would be a good time, in spirit of my Deming approach to things, to reflect on some of the top training tips which I have received over the past year, and how they have worked for me.

Swimming

"Just Don't Drown" - Lisa Y.

All of my friends who run or race duathlons always complain that they cannot swim.  Whenever someone says they "cannot" do something, I immediately hear that they "won't even bother trying".  A friend of mine's favorite quote is "what one man can do, another can do" - and it is just so apropos in this situation.  I am by no means a fast swimmer.  I toodle along at a pace that would just barely have me finishing the Ironman swim in time.  So my thought, therefore, is just as Lisa said - "just don't drown."

During the Chestermere Triathlon, we had a psuedo dock start.  There were two floating bouys, and all had to swim through them.  So rather than the group being able to disperse and swim their own line, everyone (all 82 of us) were thrashing through a 10 foot stretch.  With people clutching at my feet and kicking my hands, I did my best to get away from them.  Unfortunately, I pushed too hard and by the time I was turning past the first bouy, I felt like I was going to be sick.

Just don't drown.

After a quick coughing fit, I rolled onto my back and proceeded to do the backstroke for a short time while I caught my breath.  By then, I was leading the slow pack of swimmers, so I didn't have to worry about much.  Back onto my front, and I continued swimming.

Moral of the story?  Just don't drown.

Cycling

"Find your E3 gear, keep your cadence high, and just go with it." - Paul R.

During spin classes this past year, our instructor would constantly yell at us to keep our cadence up.  This was really hard, given that I was trying to focus on what my watts output was.  During a break, and multiple times through the class, he would constantly tell us to forget about staring at our computer, but rather to find the gear which we equated with our E3 zone, work to keep our cadence above 90, and just ride. 

While out on the Chestermere cycling course, my first thought was to get into my E3 gear, and then get my cadence up.  It paid off, as I ended up having the fastest cycle time of my training career.  My cadence ended up averaging 92 RPM, with a max cadence of 106, and a minimum of 86 (not counting when I stopped peddling to go around the corners).  I even passed a guy with an Ironman tattoo.  He passed me as well, but I still passed an Ironman :-)

Running

"Be strategic.  If the hill seems too big, walk it, but then take off running when you get to the top." - Jeremy D.

For the past 2 years, I have been training with Strides for running.  Besides having a great group of people in each clinic, the coaches have been amazingly helpful.  In those 2 years, I have gone from couch to 5km to 10km to half marathon.  Pretty good for that kid that was cursed with Asthma since birth, eh?

During last winter's clinic, we were having a hill training day.  Jeremy was speaking to one of the other members of the clinic about her getting burned out 2/3rds the way up a hill.  He said to her that she shouldn't worry about running up the hill, as it will continue to burn her out through the race.  She should walk the hill, and then take off past the people who ran the hill and burned themselves out.

Being a bit of a skeptic, I thought I'd try a little experiment.  I set my watch and ran up the hill, and then ran 500m after the top of the hill.  I walked back down, set my watch again, walked up the hill, and then ran 500m again.  The time difference was negligable, but I felt a whole lot better after walking the hill.  It's not a strategy that I will employ often, but when I am channeling my race mantra, I know that my body could use the break.

During the run at Chestermere, we were faced with what seemed like 8km up hill, and 2km down.  At one point, the uphill went from gentle to jarring.  Given that we were to run four loops of the course, I took this jarring uphill to be my break point.  It was a short up hill (<20m), so it would not be that detrimental to my time.  I saw four different behavioral patterns approaching that hill, and I was able to keep pace or beat three of them.

1. On the first loop, a few people ended up running the hill and then walking when they got to the top.  They beat me up the hill, and I beat them around the corner.  They did not pass me after that.
2. On the second loop, one lady slowed to a walk approaching the hill, sprinted up the hill, and then continued to run when she reached the top.  She and I ran step for step for a short while, and then she passed me.  I saw that she crossed the finish line about 5 minutes before me.
   
3. On the third loop, two runners continued to jog up the hill and then jog at the top.  They passed me jogging up the hill, but I passed them 20m after the top off the hill.
4. On the final loop, a runner said to me "that's a good idea" and walked behind me.  When we reached the top, I took off running, as did he.  He could not keep pace, though, and I lost him after about 50m.

I'm not the fastest runner (I tend to average about 5:20 / km), but I am learning how to run smarter. 

Next Steps

With my next race a mere three weeks away, I have my training schedule built and ready to go.  There will be more brick workouts to help my legs get used to the jelly feeling, there will be more swim training as it is my weakest sport, and I will continue to do speed work for running. 

I'm almost sad that I am going to be taking a year off next year due to school.  But that one year off will allow me to focus purely on running instead.  Pretty good for that kid that was cursed with Asthma since birth, eh?

During 2007 and 2008, I mocked those who joined twitter and facebook to broadcast their every move.  It is very nice that you are attentive to your cat, but I don't need to know that you are cleaning Mr. Mugglewuggles' litter box.

So here I am, not intentionally becoming one of those who mindless broadcasts their life.  I will be posting pictures and nutrition information of the food I am eating so as to fulfill requirements of my fourth diet deming cycle.

As part of this, I happily welcome your feedback on what I can do to improve my menu choices.  I will be attempting to maintain a ratio of 50% protien, 25% carbs, and 25% good fats, as recommended by "The Runner's Diet".

If you have any other menu ideas, I would happily welcome them.  My criteria for these, however, are as follows:

1. They must be easy to prepare (3-5 ingredients, or less)
2. I must be able to prepare them ahead of time and either freeze them, or put them in a tupperware for consumption within the following week
3. They must not have any nuts (peanuts or tree nuts), pork, or combine milk and meat (it's that kosher thing)

I appreciate your help!

Why reference Deming?  Because everything in life should be about improving yourself or your surroundings.

The Approach

All of this started back in 2006.  I had just completed 3rd year of university, where I had added 30 lbs to my frame and had increased from a size 30 to 34 inch waist.  I needed to put a plan into place.  I needed to lose some weight.

Deming Cycle #1

At the end of my third year, I took a co-op position in Vancouver, and used that as my burning platform for change.  I had some disposable income, so I joined a gym and consulted a nutritionist out there.  I've been going to gyms - in one form or another - since I was sixteen, so that was an easy choice for me to make.  The one hour consultation with the nutritionist, on the other hand, was quite hard.  I had never kept a food log, generally ate as I saw fit to do (I had cut McDonalds out of my diet when I was 18, but had retained A&W), and did not even consider matching calorie intake to expended.  The hour discussion basically came down to - ditch the salt, ditch the fat.  And so I did.  And so started my tupperware fetish.

To replace the Chunky and Alphagetti in my life, began eating tuna (canned, "sauted" in a lemon and pepper sauce) with peas for lunch every day.  I would buy the giant cans of tuna, cook it up, drop it into a tupperware with some peas, and then freeze it.  When it came time to eat these, I would microwave them at work.  The smell was atrocious, as was the taste at first, but it was my plan to lose some of the weight.

And it worked.  And I haven't touched Tuna and Peas since.

Deming Cycle #1 was successfully completed.

Deming Cycle #2

Getting healthy, however, was the challenge.  I had stripped off most of the weight, was able to lift a whole lot more than previously due to weight training, but was always tired.  Also, upon returning to Calgary from Vancouver, I had lost "my gym".  I sort of drifted during 2008 as I started my first full-time job, and was in a relationship that didn't have the healthiest of eating patterns attached.

My diet had changed in 2008 to be more focused on pasta for lunch.  Coupled with the lackadaiscal gym attendance, my weight drifted back up to about 165, and my waist back up to 32.  My focus on continuous improvement was lost.  My ball of Deming started to roll backwards.

In 2009, I started dating the lady who would later become my wife.  One of our first dates was a gym date.  She was training for a triathlon, so I decided to join her.  It was a brick workout (spin for 5 minutes, run for 2, wash, rinse, repeat).  Knowing that training would encompass most of her spare time, I opted to join her with the thought that I might do a traithlon one day.

Training for traithlons requires a certain dietary rigidity.  Knowing this, Deming Cycle #2 had officially started.  I started planning out high protien, high carb breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

Breakfast consisted of oatmeal

Lunch consisted of a scaled down version of my usual dinner - grilled chicken and rice and vegetables.

Snacks were usually fruit based, but were sometimes granola bars.

Dinner was either pasta (spaghetti and meat sauce) or grilled chicken and rice and vegetables.

And this plan worked.  In 2010, I completed my first triathlon.  I also ran my first 10km.  I also dropped 20 lbs and was down to a 28 waist.

Deming Cycle #2 was successful in that it got me through triathlon training, but I was still tired.

Deming Cycle #3

After a series of bad (bad is defined as I didn't feel great or feel like I was making measurable gains) spin classes, I did the nutritionist consultation thing again.  This time, I provided a food log, coupled with a sleep log.

From the food log (also, I have a house alarm set with Calgary Police as the primary responders, so attempt to break in at your own peril):

I don't drink soda.  Generally, I drink black tea (earl grey), Crystal Light (one packet in 2 litres of water), or water.

Monday - School night
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana
Lunch @ 12 - Either chicken, rice pilaf, vegetables OR bean soup (black beans, kidney beans, pot barley, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots) and a whole wheat roll OR 1 can of tuna, 1 tablespoon of low fat mayo, 1 liberal spray of sriracha sauce, 1 pack of melba toast, 1 apple
Throughout the afternoon - 1 cup of Spitz
Pre-school meal @ 5:00 pm - Which ever of the lunch things I didn't have
After class @ 10:00 p.m. - 3 plain rice cakes, hummus
Bed around 11:30 p.m.

Tuesday - Spin
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana and 1 small yogurt
Lunch @ 12 - Either chicken, rice pilaf, vegetables OR bean soup (black beans, kidney beans, pot barley, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots) and a whole wheat roll
Sometime in the afternoon - 1 small yogurt and a few saltines to crunch on
Pre-spin meal @ 4:30 pm - Which ever of the lunch things I didn't have
6:30 - 8:30 - Spin
During spin - 1 hammer gel
After class @ 9:30 p.m. - 1 bowl of cheerios, chocolate milk, and a banana
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Wednesday - Run
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons scoops brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana and 1 small yogurt
Lunch @ 12 - Either chicken, rice pilaf, vegetables OR bean soup (black beans, kidney beans, pot barley, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots) and a whole wheat roll
Sometime in the afternoon - 1 small yogurt and a few saltines to crunch on
Pre-run meal @ 4:30 pm - Which ever of the lunch things I didn't have
6:30 - 8:30 p.m - Running group
After class @ 9:30 p.m. - 1 bowl of cheerios, chocolate milk, and a banana
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Thursday - Homework and Errands
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons scoops brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Lunch @ 12 - Big salad (spinach, artichoke hearts, pickles, tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 avacado, celery, mushrooms), 1 teaspoon of balsamic dressing
Sometime in the afternoon - 1/2 avacado and saltines
Dinner @ 7:30 pm - BBQ'd chicken, basmati rice, vegetables, small handful of dark chocolate chips for dessert
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Friday - off
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons scoops brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Lunch @ 12 - Big salad (spinach, artichoke hearts, pickles, tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 avacado, celery, mushrooms), 1 teaspoon of balsamic dressing
Sometime in the afternoon - 1/2 avacado and saltines
Dinner @ 7:30 pm - Wine, Cheese, Egg Bread (Challah), Roast OR Turkey OR Spaghetti OR Basa filet OR something else delicious, potatoes, vegetables, some type of dessert
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Saturday - Long Run
Wake up at 8:00
Breakfast @ 8:02 - 2 granola bars (chocolate chip), 1 pack of honey stingers, 1 banana
9:00 - 11:00 - Long run (16 - 22 km, depending on the week)
Post-run refuel @ 11:00 - 2 bowls of cheerios, chocolate milk, 1 banana
Lunch @ 12:30 - Chicken or fish or beef
Midafternoon snack @ 3:00 - rice cakes with Hummus OR melba rounds with salsa
Dinner @ 7 or 8 - Some restaurant downtown... usually the "healthy" option (fish, chicken, beef, nothing deep fried) or not (heavy cheese, lots of bread, something deep fried), something delicious for dessert OR if we're staying in, Flatbread Pizza (whole wheat flat bread, lots of veggies, canned pizza sauce, a white cheese) OR fish and rice and vegetables
Bed around midnight

Sunday - Errands and Homework
Wake up at 8:00
Breakfast @ 8:30 - bowl of cheerios with Lactaid, 1 banana
Lunch @ 11:30 - Usually a big salad or fish and rice or some such
Mid-afternoon snack @ 2:30 when I sit down to study - 8 vegetable gyozas with sweet thai chili sauce or 6 rice cakes and hummus or melba toast and cream cheese
Dinner around 6:00 p.m. - chicken and rice and vegetables OR 3 large cups of chicken broth and rice
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

The Response

The response which I had received highlighted the following:

• Ditch the crystal light
• Ditch all of the sugars that I have in the morning
  • Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go (sugar).
  • Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal (sugar), 2 tea spoons brown (sugar), 1 small packet of raisins (sugar).
    
  • Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana (sugar)
• Why “low fat”?  Low fat foods are much worse for you than their fatty versions.  Look for the type of fat, not the amount of fat
• Fix my recovery fuel
  • After class @ 9:30 p.m. - 1 bowl of cheerios, chocolate milk, and a banana  (more late-night sugar (cheerios are as nutritious as the box they’re in)…a sure-fire way to build insulin-resistance and gain fat!)
• A bunch of “rules” to consider, in no particular order
  
  • Eat carbs, proteins and fats EVERY time you put food in your mouth.  Yes, this includes snacks!
  • Most of your carbohydrates should be consumed in the first half of the day, with “spikes” occurring after workouts.
  • Consume huge amounts of veggies, moderate amounts of fruits and limited amounts of grains.
  • Treat soda, Gatorade fruit juice and alcohol as “junk” foods.  Yes, we’ll all have some, but know what category they fall into.
  • Instead of the industry-driven Four Food Groups, think of just TWO!  1.  Veggies & Fruit.  2.  Meat & Eggs.
  • Anything in a package is very likely to be unnecessary.
  • WATER!  WATER!  WATER!
  • Eat several times a day and control portion sizes – you seem to have a pretty good grasp on this one; I admire your snack size discipline!
  • Sleep!  Any time you can!  Good hormones go up and bad hormones go down!
  • Exercise every single day!
    

So my key takeway from this is not what I have been eating, but how I have been eating it.

Deming Cycle #4

Taking this advice to heart, I am making the following switches:

• Breakfast
  • Oatmeal is gone, yogurt and fruit are in
• Recovery
  • Chocolate Milk and Cheerios are out, Eggs are in
• Training days
  • Calorie intake will increase from my usual 1900 calories to 2200 calories.  Basically, two more yogurts during the day.

Now let's see if this actually works.